Day 4: What people do in the capital?
Everyday life in Yerevan
Due to our plan before our journey, as four fellows, today was going to be our last day in Armenia. However, as our personal plans mismatched, thus, I decided to extend my stay in Armenia. Having spent some time in Armenia, I realized that I was absolutely feeling so satisfied and comfortable here. I was also having great fun travelling around, was learning more and more about the country every day, was getting accustomed to the culture and was revealing the country’s hidden secrets.
The hostel I was staying was called “Envoy Hostel Yerevan”. Hostel offers a friendly and a dynamic atmosphere during your stay. It welcomes and accommodates foreigners all across the globe. Rooms were dedicated to famous Armenian people from history and their fames were recalled as street names like Tumanyan Street (my room), Saryan Street, Teryan Street, Nalbandian Street, etc.
After taking my morning shower, I went to the administration and prolonged my stay for another two days. For an exchange, headed to SAS supermarket (widespread supermarket chain in Armenia) on Tumanyan Street, approximately hundred steps away from the hostel. Examining the meat rayon, I saw the traditional Armenian Basturma(air dried cured beef of Anatolian origin) and ordered some. As my origin from mother side is from Kayseri (a city in central Anatolia, Turkey), I am so familiar to this type of stuffed meat. My grandmother was used to prepare it as she practiced farm life in their village. Besides Basturma, I sought for some dairy products. I bought Matzoon (strained yogurt) and Chanakh cheese (sort of a brined white cheese). I added some black olives and traditional Armenian bread (Lavash) to my basket and checked out.
As soon as I had my breakfast, unlike the routine travelling with car, I wanted to wander around the city on foot. Walking up and down the streets of Yerevan, I occasionally stopped and took pictures of the buildings I classified as pieces of beauty. First building was the Opera Theater as known as “Armenian National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiaryan”. The building possesses two concert halls: Aram Khatchaturian concert hall and the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theater. The building was officially opened in 1933. The first ballet performance (Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) took place in 1935 after the establishment and rehearsals of a ballet troupe.
The opening of the theater promoted the creation of new national operas and ballets. The first Armenian ballet was Happiness by Aram Khachaturian. On the basis of this ballet the composer soon created Gayane, which has been performed all over the world. Three huge statues were surrounding the building. Aram Il'yich Khachaturian (Soviet Armenian composer and conductor) on the backside of the theater complex, Alexander Afanasyevich Spendiaryan (music composer, conductor, founder of Armenian national symphonic music) and Hovhannes Tumanyan (national poet of Armenia) at the front.
Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theater
Northern side of the theater building faces the France Square, while southern side faces Freedom Square.
Right nearside the square, Swan Lake is situated with its naive beauty
Swan Lake
Proceeding my walkabout in the city center, I took a walk from the Opera building to a church complex which hosted two churches.
First one was called Holy Mother of God Kathoghike church and the second one was called Saint Anna church via Sayat Nova Avenue.
See the map…
Kathoghike church is a medieval chapel dating back to 13th century. Right besides the church, a brand new religious complex (St. Anna church), with a cruciform architectural design, was built and designated to serve as the Yerevan residence of Catholicos.
Saint Anna church recently consecrated by Catholicos Karekin II on April 30, 2015.
Kathoghike Church
I entered the new church, lit a votive candle, said my prayer and left.
By the noon, I reached to the Charles Aznavour Square located at the intersection of Hin Yerevantsi and Abovyan streets. In a ceremony, the square is named after Charles Aznavour as part of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Armenian independence on September 21, 2001. The worldwide-famous singer himself also took part at this ceremony. He expressed his gratitude and said "Usually such homage is rendered to people after their death". Aznavour expressed the wish that Armenia would find its real role and path.
At the square, the largest cinema hall of the town, Moscow Cinema is sited. The functional building, not only hosting the cinema hall, has also some shops and cafes inside. As soon as I saw a coffee shop, I realized I urgently needed a large cappuccino to regain my energy for the rest of the day.
As you may see in the picture, in front of the building, a big chessboard and an exaggeratedly big black spider lies on the pavement prinked with an active fountain to reinforce the square with art. Every year since 2004, the cinema hosts the international film festival 'Golden Apricot'.
AZNAVOUR SQUARE and MOSCOW CINEMA
Sipping my coffee whilst walking down the Abovyan Street, I popped in a few souvenir shops on my way. Nothing special I could find as a memorable souvenir. However, getting close to the Republic square, on the right side of Abovyan, opposite side of the Arno Babajanian Concert Hall, I spotted a music market. I was seeking some Armenian folk and pop music. The shopkeeper advised me to purchase a compilation album of Sayat-Nova’s best compositions as a folk genre and Ruben Hakhverdyan’s latest album 'Ktak' as a pop genre option. (I listened both albums and I adored Ruben’s songs, especially 'Kes gisher' and 'Poqrik ishkhan'.) Before leaving, I inquired the shopkeeper where to find live music. He pointed the building right across the street with his index finger. He was not sure if I could find a show today or tomorrow, but advised me to go inside and check.
It was getting darker when I left the music shop. I directly walked through the main door of Arno Babajanian Concert Hall. The administrator showed me the ticket office. Actually, the office a kind of a private room of the director. She was sitting at her chair, with plenty of paper tickets lying on her desk. I asked the closest show time. She, with a smiling face, answered me “In two hours”. I replied, “Then, one ticket from the center of the hall please, I am buying right away”.
The Concert Hall dates from the 19th century and was used as an educational institution until 1921, when it became the Small Philharmonic Concert Hall for Yerevanians. The building was built in 1916 by the project of architect V. Simonyan. In 1953, 1961, 1977 the hall was repaired under the direction of architect M. Grigoryan and E. Srapyan. The concert hall is for 300 spectators, that’s why it used to be called “Small hall of Armphilharmony” before getting the present name. The hall was officially named after Arno Babajanian on December 25 2005.
Arno Babajanian was an Armenian composer and pianist during the Soviet era. (January 22, 1921, Yerevan – November 11, 1983, Moscow)
He received the Stalin Prize of 1950 for his Heroic Ballade for piano with orchestra and the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. He also awarded People's Artist of the Armenian SSR (1956) and Soviet Union (1971). He was a laureate of two Stalin State Prizes of the USSR (1951, 1953) and two Armenian SSR State Prizes (1967, 1983). A minor planet, 9017 Babadzhanyan, was named after him. Moreover, Babajanian Statue can be found just next to Swan Lake, near Opera Theater.
I had two hours of spare time before the live folkloric concert, so I decided to examine the Northern Avenue’s architectural renovation plan. The guy whom I met last night, Sevada, was expressing his thought and sad feelings about this project, that is why, I wanted to see and evaluate with my own eyes. Once I started walking by the Northern Avenue, I totally understood what he meant. He was right about his argument, but still I cannot totally agree with him.
For the time being, all over the world, fancy buildings with modern and innovative design solutions, is inevitable. To make a city more cultural and sophisticated, the new and the old buildings must both exist. That way, when a city is mixed with the old and the new tissue, it becomes more tempting for travellers and touristic attractions. As a result, those kinds of cities draw more touristic attention year by year, and become more popular worldwide.
My assertion, of course, is acceptable only if the development projects do not ruin the old tissue. In this case, at Northern Avenue, the old and the new were well combined together.
On the other hand, I can understand Sevada’s concern about future. As he had had an architect’s vision, he was afraid that the development projects would be widespread all over Yeravan, like a virus, and destruct the historical pattern. I totally agree with him in this manner. I hope, Yerevan, a lovely city with its historic value and culture, won’t suffer from significant changes in urban plan.
Finishing my observations at the Northern Avenue, I headed back to where I bought a ticket for the concert. Thirty minutes until the start, I reached the Hall and as I had enough free time before the show, I seized my camera once again and started making some interior photos.
ARNO BABAJANIAN CONCERT HALL
The performance opened with a stupendous poem well read by a great lady. The show was generally based of folkloric dance. Other than that, some solo instrumental efforts were performed. This lady’s performance (in the picture) was really impressive just like her glamorous purple dress combined with an old fashioned necklace and a silver crown on her head. Although, I did not know her before, she must have been a well-known cannon player in Armenia.
Besides cannon, a young musician played an indigenous Armenian instrument called duduk (an ancient double-reed woodwind flute made of apricot wood). The pastoral melody was so touchy because of its relaxing beat. Then appeared a supreme lady with a mezzo-soprano voice. She sang couple of songs without being detuned at all. The lady got a big applause as surely deserved. At the end, as usual, all artists met at the stage to bow as a sign of courtesy and mercy for the audience.
Frankly, I enjoyed the show pretty much. It represented and enlightened the nature of Armenian musical and instrumental culture very well. Leaving the concert with great enthusiasm, I walked down the Abovyan Street to head to the Republic Square. There was a great illumination show with music in the fountain. I halted right in front of the fountain and recorded a short video of the flamboyant show.
The show must go on, but I need to leave...
I was getting hungry so I checked my surrounding if I could find a place to sit and have my dinner. Just next to the square, I saw a great arc gate. Inside the gate, right on the wall, hung a poster called 'Armenian Show'. It seemed to me a kind of underground restaurant with a performance stage where artists show up. Once I got in, I confirmed myself, as I was right with my guess. Bypassed the cloakroom, as I had nothing to undress, advanced to the restaurant hall. Walking down the stairs passed another gate with a timber sign of 'NOAH’S ARC'.
On my short path to the restaurant I saw a fabulous painting hung on the wall above an old-fashioned but precious armchair.
Then, turning my head to the right, there I noticed a mysterious hall full of empty tables ready for a feast. I suppose this big ballroom was for wide companies for special receptions.
Finally I got into the dinner room. The waitress showed me a place to settle down not far from the stage. The band was in a short break so I had to wait them for a couple of minutes.
I ordered some authentic food (humus, meat soup and salad) and tried to keep my patience until I saw the music band and the soloist coming back to the stage. The band was generally selecting pastoral, slow and tender compositions. The touchy voice of the soloist was deep and dramatic.
I finished my dinner, rose from my table and headed to the exit. On the exit way, one more private room drew my attention. The restaurant manager explained the room’s (Cigar Club) purpose, as it was kind of a waiting room where people could smoke.
Moreover, long time ago, gambling tournaments were being organized as he told. He also added that, this small complex was the first multifunctional complex presenting the first fancy restaurant in town.
VERNISSAGE
Once I got back to the hostel, I could only realize my tiredness once I lay down. It didn’t take so much time until I closed my eyes and fell asleep.